A MAN whose sister died in the July 7 terror attacks in London joined relatives of the victims in criticising security service failures.

Robert Webb’s concerns echoed those of the 52 victims’ families and the coroner who led the inquest into their deaths.

Meanwhile, the Police Federation yesterday criticised the head of the Metropolitan Police after he said following the conclusion of the 7/7 inquests that health and safety regulations should not hamper police officers in their line of duty.

Closing the inquest and announcing her findings this week, Lady Justice Hallett highlighted MI5’s failure to show a clear photo of the 7/7 ringleader to a key informant. She said the victims of the 2005 bombings were unlawfully killed by four Muslim extremists and rejected claims that security agency failings caused their deaths.

But she strongly criticised the “dreadful” editing by MI5 of a sharp colour picture of plot leader Mohammed Sidique Khan and his number two Shehzad Tanweer taken at a motorway service station in February 2004. The cropped, grainy black-and-white image of Khan was meant to be shown to al-Qaeda supergrass Mohammed Junaid Babar, who had met the British jihadist at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan. But the picture was never put in front of Babar, apparently because its quality was so poor.

Robert, of Cardiff, whose 29-year-old sister Laura died in the blast at Edgware Road tube station, said: “The emergency services knew there was a threat and they seem to have been caught completely off guard by this – the security services as well.”

Of the inquest, he said: “It is very comprehensive, as I would have expected. [Lady Justice Hallett] ran a very comprehensive inquest. But I remain concerned about the security service failings. I don’t want to bang on about MI5 being rubbish because they do a good job but it is quite clear there were failings.

“She has concluded that even if the security services had operated better the attacks could not have been prevented and I am not so sure about that.”

Robert said he wondered if emergency and security services had relied on their experiences with the IRA, saying they should have been aware of successful attacks on subway systems in other countries.

He added: “I think Laura would prefer not to be looking down and prefer to be down here with her family.”

Yesterday, the Police Federation reacted with anger to Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson’s claims health and safety regulations should not hamper police officers in their line of duty. Sir Paul said officers join the force “knowing they have to put their life on the line”.

But Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he was “extremely disappointed” at the commissioner’s “disregard” for the regulations.

During the 7/7 inquests, Lady Justice Hallett heard that the response of the emergency services was hampered by a series of problems, including restrictive health and safety regulations.

Sir Paul said: “When health and safety legislation was first applied to the police in its raw form, I wondered whether it was entirely appropriate for emergency services. Health and safety is important for my staff but they engage in the risk business. I want my cops as safe as possible but it is a dynamic job they do. They face risks.

“Cops join the force knowing they have to put their life on the line. Thankfully very few pay the ultimate price. Some get injured. They take risks, running across rooftops catching villains. I applaud them for doing that. I don’t want to criticise them or to be doing a risk assessment on every occasion.

“The last thing we should ever do is make the families of people who have a go, be they cops or public, feel they made the wrong choices. Let’s not pretend that the police work in a risk-free environment.”

Mr McKeever said: “It is extremely disappointing to note Sir Paul Stephenson’s apparent disregard of health and safety laws that are designed to protect everyone and in no way hinder operational policing or the actions of police officers. All the major police officer representative bodies – the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Police Superintendents’ Association and the Police Federation – agree the position that the Police (Health and Safety) Act in its current form has resulted in significant improvements in the health, safety and welfare of police officers while still allowing effective policing to be achieved.

“The law as it stands serves both the public and the police effectively. It is certain interpretations of the law that have produced isolated anomalies. Therefore clarity of interpretation is needed rather than unnecessary changes to health and safety laws that could turn the clock back decades on the protections afforded to society.”